Ioelson (Ioelsohn) Ilya Solomonovich (12 July 1918, Moscow – ?) – engineer.

In 1925 Ilya Ioelson moved with his parents to Riga. In 1935 he completed 8 classes at the Jewish school Ezra. In 1935–37 he worked at the Metallurg iron foundry in Riga; in 1937–40 at the Latvello factory.

In 1940 he was drafted into the Latvian Army and later that year transferred into the Soviet Army. In 1940–41 he was a cadet at the regimental school in Limbaži. During World War II he fought in the 43rd Guards Riga Infantry Division.

In 1945 he returned to Riga. In 1951 he graduated from the Faculty of Mechanics of the Latvian State University. He worked as a design engineer at the Riga Carriage Works (1950–62, 1964–71) and as an engineer at the RF VNIIV (1962–64).

He was awarded the medals “For Courage” and “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–45.”

In his marriage with Maria Plotkina (b. 1924, Minsk) a son was born, Lev (b. 1950, Riga).

His parents, Solomon Ioelson (1886, Daugavpils – 1941, Riga) and Sheina Ioelson (1893, Daugavpils – 1941, Riga), perished in the Holocaust. His sister Dora Kravchik (née Ioelson; b. 1914, Liepāja) was imprisoned in the Riga Ghetto in 1941 and later deported from Latvia to Germany; after liberation from the camps she emigrated to Israel. Until 1968 Ilya believed his sister had died in the Holocaust, but in 1969 she managed to find him and they resumed correspondence.

In 1969 Ilya Ioelson applied for permission to emigrate to Israel on the invitation of his cousin Ester Ogints (b. 1920). In 1971 he received an exit permit from the USSR on his sister’s invitation.

Family:

Maria Plotkina (b. 1924, Minsk) – wife
Lev Ioelson (b. 1950, Riga) – son
Solomon Ioelson (1886, Daugavpils – 1941, Riga) – father
Sheina Ioelson (1893, Daugavpils – 1941, Riga) – mother
Dora Kravchik (née Ioelson; 1914, Liepāja – ?) – sister
Ester Ogints (b. 1920) – cousin